As we have been studying the
words of Paul the apostle to the church members in Galatia, we have
learned a lot about the wonderful grace of God. Because people were
not able to keep the perfect law of God, He sent His Son Jesus to
fulfill the law in every point. He then caused Jesus to take the
penalty for sinfulness upon the cross and bore the sins of the whole
world. The law only caused death because no one except Jesus could
fulfill it. However, because Jesus kept the law, and then died to pay
the penalty for the sin of those who did not keep it, all who believe
in Him will be saved. Paul continues his appropriation of the grace
of God in Galatians chapter two and verse twenty where we read:
I am crucified with
Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and
the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son
of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Paul
first identifies his current condition, “I am crucified with
Christ:” In substitutionary form, Jesus took Paul and all his
sin upon the cross with Him. This in effect bore the entire penalty
for not only Paul's sin, but the sin of the whole world. Positionally
those who appropriate Jesus' crucifixion by believing in His finished
work are crucified with Him.
Paul
adds, “nevertheless I live;”. Though Jesus had to endure
the penalty of death because of sin, those who believe in Him now
“live”. There is the promise of “eternal life” for all
who trust in Jesus, and this “eternal life” means more than
living forever, it is a life style. When we believe that Jesus was
crucified for our sins and trust that He has paid the price for our
errors, we live as we never have before.
Paul
continues, “yet not I, but Christ lives in me...”
Because Paul believed in Jesus, there was a divine substitution made.
Christ lives in him now, and his old life is faded away. As Paul
wrote in Second Corinthians chapter five and verse seventeen:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Everything changes when we
receive Jesus as our personal Savior. Christ lives in us because of
His great sacrifice and our simple belief.
Paul
says more, “and the life which I now live in the flesh I
live by the faith of the Son of God,” The
appropriation of the faith of the Son of God is now demonstrated
through the life of Paul. It is Jesus' faith that was complete, not
Paul's. Jesus did the work, and now the Divine trade is that Jesus'
life becomes Paul's life in the flesh. This life lived in the flesh
is not only offered to Paul, but to all who will put their faith and
trust in Jesus Christ. Jesus' faith is available and ready to be
disbursed to all who will receive it.
Finally
Paul gives the reason for Jesus' sacrifice, “who loved
me, and gave himself for me.” We
might wonder why Jesus would make such a sacrifice, and the answer is
given here, “who loved me.”
Even though Paul who was previously known as Saul was “breathing
out threatenings and slaughters” against the church at one time,
Jesus loved him. Though Paul threw people in jail because of their
Christian faith, Jesus loved him, and though Paul did everything he
could to stop people from believing in Jesus at all, Jesus loved him.
Jesus proved His love toward Paul in spite of Paul's horrible
attitude and behavior, and “gave himself”
for him to prove it. “Greater love has no man than this,
that he lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus
loved Paul and laid down His life so that Paul could live.
Jesus
loves everyone, and His desire is that everyone would place their
faith and trust in Him. No matter how terrible their attitudes and
behaviors may be, the appropriation of the crucifixion is available
to all, even us. May we all realize today what a wonderful work God
has done through Jesus' death on the cross, and may His sacrifice
draw us all into a holy appreciation for His wonderful
substitutionary work.
Next
time we will see how powerful the grace of God is, so read ahead,
and let us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation
to Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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